Shower door construction



Sept. 0, 1956 M. J. SEIDMON ETAL 3, 73,633

SHOWER DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 10, 1964 ll Hill INVENTORS GEORGE .1 EL L /.S

MAYNARD J SE/DMO/V United States Patent 3,273,633 SHOWER DOOR CONSTRUCTION Maynard J. Seidmon, Chicago, Ill., and George J. Ellis, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignors to Theodore Efron Mfg. Co., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 350,782 3 Claims. (Cl. 160-381) This invention relates to a shower door framing construction. More particularly, it is concerned with providing a novel arrangement for holding and effectively retaining a sheet plastic flexible panel within a frame. In a preferred embodiment the invention is directed to a door structure adapted for a shower door, a shower stall enclosure, or a bathtub enclosure.

Many types of shower doors and shower stall and bathtub enclosures are known in the prior art. These structures have taken numerous and varied physical forms and many different manufacturing materials, fabrication techniques and assembly procedures have been used. In spite of the long time need, and notwithstanding the extensive research and development in the relevant art, no completely satisfactory shower door or shower door framing structure has heretofore been produced. Each prior art physical embodiment has one or more undesirable or objectionable features. Combination glass and metal doors are heavy, expensive to manufacture, and pose some degree of hazard by reason of the frangibility of the glass pane. Metal frames carrying rigid panels of plastic and reinforced plastics are subject to warpage and distortion. Still other structural arrangements in which flexible plastic sheets have been framed to provide a door having a flexible panel have been unsatisfactory in that no commercially satisfactory method for maintaining the plastic sheet taut and firmly held in the frame has been known.

A shower door structure comprising a metal frame carrying a taut flexible plastic panel is not only esthetically appealing but has the advantage of lightness of weight and safety in use. Nevertheless, such a construction has not found acceptance because of the difficulty of providing adequate means for anchoring the plastic sheet in the frame. It is the aim of this invention to provide effective solutions for this and related problems to the end that an improved framing structure and panel of the type described, may be realized.

The present invention, therefore, is directed to and has for one of its objects, the provision of means for anchoring a plastic sheet under circumstances where conventional anchoring means is inadequate.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a novel arrangement for mounting a flexible plastic sheet within a frame whereby the sheet will be effectively tensioned and firmly retained within the frame.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel arrangement for mounting flexible plastic paneling within a frame whereby a rigid support and tensioning of the plastic panel is supplied for a substantial distance adjacent and inwardly of an open spline-receiving channel of the frame.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel arrangement for maintaining a plastic sheet taut within a metal frame, wherein, in addition to locking the marginal edges of the sheet within the open channel of a frame member, tension is induced on the sheet.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, light-weight, easily assembled paneled structure which has an attractive appearance and which may be readily adapted to blend with various decorating decors.

Patented Sept. 20, 1966 Additional objects and aims of the invention include the following:

To provide a shower door and shower enclosure paneled structure which is unbreakable, shatter-proof, light in weight and safe in handling and in operation; to provide a shower enclosure panel which is easily installed and which may be readily removed and replaced at will to create any desired decorator effects.

Other and further objects and advantages will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the front of a plastic panel and a supporting frame as viewed from outside of a shower enclosure;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the rear of the panel and frame viewed from inside the shower enclosure;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG- URE 2, and showing a spline structure by which the plastic sheet or panel is anchored in a cooperating channel of the framing member;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view, partly cut away, showing the corner bracing structure of the frame, of the lower right hand corner of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1 and showing a detail of the mounting of the reinforcing corner construction.

The aims and objects of the invention are accomplished by providing in a door frame construction a frame member including a hollow through channel and having an integrally formed open spline-receiving U-shaped channel defined by a side wall of the hollow channel and a laterally depending L-shaped member adjacent the inner peripheral edge of the frame.

The marginal edge of the plastic panel is anchored within the U-shaped channel of the frame by means of a spline. The anchoring or tensioning member or spline comprises a semi-resilient bifurcated element insert-able within the U-shaped channel portion of the frame and resiliently deformable to key and lock Within the U- shaped channel. Thus, when the spline is inserted within the open U-shaped channel portion of the frame, it will serve to tension the marginal edge of the sheet against the bearing surfaces of the frame.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIGURES 1 through 4, for purposes of disclosure, the panel or shower door structure of the invention is shown embodied as a shower door, shower enclosure, or bath enclosure 11 of a generally rectangular frame -12 construction and comprising opposed side framing members 13 and 14 joined adjacent opposed ends thereof by top r15 and bottom framing members 16. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the framing members are of the same cross sectional configuration and, as shown in FIGURE 3, are formed with a hollow through core or channel 17 having an integrally formed open spline-receiving U-shaped channel 20 defined by a side wall 22 of the hollow through channel 17 and a late-rally extending or depending L-shaped member 24 adjacent the inner peripheral edge 26 of the frame 12. A handle 27 and a hinge 28 may be provided in case the structure is a shower door. These elements are not required for panels used as bath or shower enclosures. Except where otherwise specifically qualified, throughout this specification and the claims the term shower door is meant to include shower and bath enclosure panels.

A preferred structural composition of the frame 12 is extruded aluminum, it being recognized however, that other mate-rials including plastics, reinforced plastic, and metals other than aluminum may be used.

As indicated in FIGURE 4, the members defining the frame 12 are joined at corners of the frame, secure and firm attachment being insured through the use of corner braces 30 to which adjacent mitered and butted frame members are fastened by means of screws 32 or other suitable means. The perpendicularly disposed arms 34 and 35 of the corner braces 30 are of appreciable length and may be two inches or more on a side in order to provide a high degree of physical stability to the ultimate frame structure. The through thickness dimension of the corner brace 30 is such that the front 37 and rear faces 38 of the brace are contiguous to corresponding cooperating wall surfaces 40 and 41 internally of the through channel 17 (see FIGURE This particular construction minimizes out of plane deformation of the shower door frame 12.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, the marginal edge or edges 42 of the plastic sheet *44 are retained within the U-shaped channel 20 by means of an anchoring and tension-ing member or spline 46. The spline 46 comprises a substantially rigid, semi-resilient plastic bifurcated generally U- shaped component insertable into and within the open U-shaped channel 20 of the frame 12 in an inverse relation. Through this structural disposition the opening 48 of channel 20 is effectively bridge-d by a wall 50 to pro- "vide a substantially continuous and generally flat surface 52 extending across the face 54 of the channel member 17 to the free end 56 of the L-shaped channel forming member 24.

The U-shaped spline 46 includes integrally formed outwardly and inwardly projecting flange portions 58 and '60 extending along the length of the spline. The outwardly extending flange 5$ keys with a cooperating inwardly projecting flange 62 integrally formed along the length of the open metal channel 20 to lock the spline 46 within the channel 20. At the same time, the inwardly extending flange 60 adjacent one free end of the U- shaped channel 20 provides a mechanical limit or stop to regulate the extent to which the opposed legs 64 and 66 of the spline 46 can move toward and approach one another.

The method of assembly of the novel panel structure or shower door structure of the invention will be readily apparent. As a first step the ends 15 and 16 and side frame members .13 and ;14 of the frame 12 are joined at their mitered corners 68 by means of corner braces or angular braces 30 as previously described. With the frame 12 completed and rigidly assembled, a sheet 44 of flexible plastic is stretched taut to cover substantially all of the frame 12 including the oppositely disposed channels 20 in the side framing members 13 and 14 and in the upper and lower framing members '15 and 16. With proper tension maintained, pre-cut measured lengths of the spline 46 are inserted, open end down, into the open channel portion 20 integrally formed inwardly of the hollow core 20 framing members.

Because of the particular formation of the spline and because of its relative dimensions, when inserted into the open channel 20 the spline will be deformed somewhat and will then resiliently return to its normal configuration to lock within the channel 20 and serve to clamp the plastic sheet 44 against the bottom wall '70 and against the opposed side walls 72 and 74 of the open channel 20. -It is to be noted that the legs 64 and 66 of the spline 46 which serve as the combined anchoring and tensioning means are so formed initially that they will provide the requisite amount of tension for holding the sheet against the several channel surfaces upon insertion of the spline within the channel 20. The spline 46 itself will be securely engaged by the jaw or lip or flange 62 of the L-shaped member 24 forming part of the channel 20. Upon insertion of the spline 46 within the channel 26 as described above, the tensioning of the plastic sheet is effectively and evenly transmitted along the entire length, periphery, or circumference of the inner portion of the frame 12.

With the spline lengths inserted in place about the periphery of the frame, the plastic sheet 44 is held in its functional tensioned disposition. The assembly operation is then completed by carefully trimming the plastic sheet extending beyond the outer edge of the channel 20 to provide a final composite structure which is neat and clean in appearance. The large bearing surface or area provided by the framing structure over which the plastic sheet is stretched minimizes any tendency for shearing or fracture of the sheet itself.

The spline 46 is fabricated of a substantially rigid, yet somewhat flexible and elastic but generally inextensible plastic and may comprise extruded vinyl or structurally equivalent compositions such as polyamides (nylon), polyethylene or polypropylene, or polyhalogenated hydrocarbons such as Teflon or Kel-F. As has been pointed out, the spline material itself is preferably extruded in long lengths and is then cut to the required sizes.

It thus will be apparent that a novel and highly eificient means have been provided for securely anchoring a tensioned plastic sheet to a frame. In addition, the means of the invention is simple and compact in construction and can be readily made in economical commercial procedures for simple and easy installation, using conventional manufacturing methods and techniques.

While disclosures of preferred embodiments of the invention and preferred methods for fabricating the structural components of the invention have been provided, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications, changes, and variations can be made with out departing from the essential spirit of the underlying principles of the invention. It is, therefore, desired by the following claims to include in the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the result of this invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shower enclosure panel a framing construction for a plastic sheet secured along its marginal edges to the framing construction,

said framing construction including a generally rectangular frame,

said frame being of hollow core formation and including an integral open channel defined by parallel inner and outer walls on each side thereof,

said channel being disposed adjacent an inner marginal edge of said core;

an integral longitudinal rib extending inwardly of said channel from one of said walls;

spline means anchoring said sheet with respect to at least two surfaces of said channel,

said spline means comprising generally parallel jaw-like elements including longitudinally extending off-set portions co-extensive therewith and adjacent terminal edges of said jaw-like elements,

said off-set portions and said jaw-like elements being resiliently deformable whereby upon installation in said channel said jaw-like elements will be compressed toward one another;

a first one of said ofl-set portions adjacent a terminal edge of one of said jaw-like elements engaging and being resiliently biased into anchoring relation within said open channel for cooperation with said longitudinal rib in keying relation therewith to obviate inadvertent dislodgement of said spline from said channel;

a second one of said oflset portions adjacent a terminal edge of one of said jaw-like elements extending toward the said first one of said jaw-like elements to limit relative lateral movement of free ends of said jaw-like elements toward each other;

whereby portions of said plastic sheet overlying said two surfaces of said channel will be'securely locked by said spline means to prevent displacement of said sheet from said frame construction.

2. A plastic sheet frame construction as defined in claim 1 wherein peripheral edges of said plastic sheet extend over corresponding outer flat bearing side wall surfaces of said spline and contact against cooperating inner wall surfaces of said channel whereby said peripheral edges of said plastic sheet are retained in stressed contact between said bearing side wall surfaces of said spline and said inner wall surfaces of said channel to preclude displacement of said sheet from said frame.

3. A shower enclosure panel comprising: a plurality of generally right angularly disposed longitudinally extending frame members defining a generally rectangular frame construction,

each of said frame members comprising a longitudinally extending, box-shaped hollow core cross sectional configured element,

each of said elements being provided with an integrally formed channel defined by inner and outer parallel walls,

said channel being offset from the longitudinal center line of said frame members,

each of said channels defining walls including a coextensive longitudinal pocket;

spline means engaging each said frame members for anchoring a plastic sheet with respeot thereto, said spline means comprising a generally planar base and spaced parallel legs projecting outwardly from said base and substantially transversely thereof,

each said spline means being further comprised of a single piece of resilient material generally U-shaped in cross section to define said base and said spaced parallel legs;

said spaced parallel legs including offset portions adjacent a longitudinally extending terminal edge of said legs, a first of said offset portions interlocking in firmly anchored relationship within said longitudinal pocket in said channel when said spline is engaged with said frame member, a second of said offset portions extending longitudinally along and inwardly of a terminal edge of one of said legs to limit inward displacement of said legs toward one another to preclude collapse of said spline means and inadvertent withdrawal of said spline means from said channel;

said legs being spaced and being sized to bear in stressed relation against said walls of said channel and against said plastic sheet upon installation and engagement 'of said spline means with said frame member and said plastic sheet;

whereby said plastic sheet may be engaged in locked tensioned relation with respect to said rectangular frame construction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 929,251 7/1909 Schoenberg -381 2,040,556 5/1936 Lawrence 16037l 2,233,412 3/1941 Hill 160378 2,432,889 12/ 1947 Herrm'ann 160392 X 2,441,85 8 5/ 1948 Wat-ter 29448 2,606,608 8/1952 Stewart 160-371 2,608,750 9/ 1952 Cluzel 29448 2,784,781 3/1957 Rhoades 160-371 2,989,788 6/1961 Kessler 160381 X 3,187,801 6/1965 Saling 160392 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Examiner.

P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SHOWER ENCLOSURE PANEL A FRAMING CONSTUCTION FOR A PLASTIC SHEET SECURED ALONG ITS MARGINAL EDGES TO THE FRAMING CONSTRUCTION, SAID FRAMING CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR FRAME, SAID FRAME BEING OF HOLLOW CORE FORMATION AND INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL OPEN CHANNEL DEFINED BY PARALLEL INNER AND OUTER WALLS ON EACH SIDE THEREOF, SAID CHANNEL BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT AN INNER MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID CORE; AN INTEGRAL LONGITUDINAL RIB EXTENDING INWARDLY OF SAID CHANNEL FROM ONE OF SAID WALLS; SPLINE MEANS ANCHORING SAID SHEET WITH RESPECT TO AT LEAST TWO SURFACES OF SAID CHANNEL, SAID SPLINE MEANS COMPRISING GENERALLY PARALLEL JAW-LIKE ELEMENTS INCLUDING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING OFF-SET PORTIONS CO-EXTENDIVE THEREWITH AND ADJACENT TERMINAL EDGES OF SAID JAW-LIKE ELEMENTS, SAID OFF-SET PORTIONS AND SAID JAW-LIKE ELEMENTS BEING RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE WHEREBY UPON INSTALLATION IN SAID CHANNEL SAID JAW-LIKE ELEMENTS WILL BE COMPRESSED TOWARD ONE ANOTHER; A FIRST ONE OF SAID OFF-SET PORTIONS ADJACENT A TERMINAL EDGE OF ONE OF SAID JAW-LIKE ELEMENTS ENGAGING AND BEING RESILEINTLY BIASED INTO ANCHORING RELATION WITHIN SAID OPEN CHANNEL FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID LONGITUDINAL RIB IN KEYING RELATION THEREWITH TO OBVIATE INADVERTENT DISLODGEMENT OF SAID SPLINE FROM SAID CHANNEL; A SECOND ONE OF SAID OFFSET PORTIONS ADJACENT A TERMINAL EDGE OF ONE OF SAID JAW-LIKE ELEMENTS EXTENDING TOWARD THE SAID FIRST ONE OF SAID JKAW-LIKE ELEMENTS TO LIMIT RELATIVE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF FREE ENDS OF SAID JAW-LIKE ELEMENTS TOWARD EACH OTHER; WHEREBY PORTIONS OF SAID PLASTIC SHEET OVERLYING SAID TWO SURFACES OF SAID CHANNEL WILL BE SECURELY LOCKED BY SAID SPLINE MEANS TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF SAID SHEET FROM SAID FRAME CONSTRUCTION. 